BBQ’d Jackfruit Quesadillas, All Dressed
A vegetarian, yet meaty, grilled delight—perfect for all ages. Adults can spice it up a bit, but we’ve developed it thinking of the little eaters in the crowd. A tender filling encased in crispy grilled tortillas, this grilled treat is absolutely delicious served with guacamole, salsa, and creamy chipotle sauce.
BBQ’d Jackfruit Quesadillas, All Dressed
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) avocado oil, plus extra
- 1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 2 large garlic cloves, smashed and minced
- 2 - 19 oz (540 mL) cans young green jackfruit in water
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) vegan low-sodium BBQ sauce
- 2 tsp (10 mL) ground cumin
- 2 tsp (10 mL) smoked paprika
- 1 tsp (5 mL) apple cider vinegar (optional)
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) full-fat plain yogurt
- Zest from 1 lime
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) finely minced chipotle in adobo sauce
- 4 large flour tortillas, regular or gluten free
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) grated Monterey Jack cheese or
- dairy-free shreds
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) cilantro sprigs
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories160
- protein5g
- fat6g
- saturated fat2g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates27g
- sugars13g
- fibre2g
- sodium531mg
Directions
01
Prepared guacamole, salsa, and dollops of sour cream (optional)
In medium skillet, heat oil. Add onion and sauté over medium heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Be careful not to burn. Add another splash of water if necessary.
Rinse, drain, and blot-dry jackfruit. Chop off centre cores and finely dice. Using fingers, roughly tear jackfruit into pieces. Add diced cores and jackfruit to skillet with onion along with BBQ sauce, cumin, and paprika. Add a little water just until bubbly. Heat over medium until bubbling, stirring often. Reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes for flavours to blend and until jackfruit is soft. Add another splash of water if mixture begins to stick to pan. Then, using two forks, shred fruit to achieve “pulled pork” texture. Adjust flavours as needed, adding a little more smoked paprika for heat, if you wish, and a little apple cider vinegar (see Time-saver tip).
In high-speed mini blender, combine yogurt, lime juice, and minced chipotle. Whirl until smooth and creamy. Add a little salt to taste if you wish. Transfer to a squeeze tube and refrigerate. It can be refrigerated for a couple of days.
Grease barbecue grill and preheat to medium. Brush one side of each tortilla with oil and place oiled side down on grill. Spoon equal amounts warmed jackfruit mixture over 1/2 of each tortilla to within 1/2 in (1.25 cm) of the edges. Sprinkle with equal parts cheese. Fold other half of tortilla over cheese. Gently press down.
Grill tortilla halves until bottom is browned to your liking, about 3 or 4 minutes. Rotate a couple of times to prevent it from burning. With broad spatula, flip tortilla and grill on other side until golden and crispy.
Transfer to cutting board. Cut each tortilla half into 4 wedges and drizzle with spicy chipotle sauce and some cilantro sprigs. Wedges are excellent served with a scoop of guacamole, salsa, and sour cream, if you wish.
TIP: Substitute diced summer squash in place of jackfruit for a colourful and delicious alternative. Add some rinsed and drained lentils.
Time-saver tip! Jackfruit filling mixture can be made ahead and stored in tightly covered container in refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in freezer for up to 1 month. Simply reheat before assembling for tortillas, adding a little more BBQ sauce if it appears dry.
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This recipe is part of the 7 Healthy Recipes for the Ultimate Father's Day BBQ collection.
Irene McGuinness is a writer, recipe developer, food stylist for numerous magazines and corporations, and alumna of the Writer’s Studio at Simon Fraser University
